The present invention comprises a spring clamp for removably attaching a camera, decoy or other device to a structural support. For simplification, a camera will be designed as the article to mounted to the spring clamp in the following description; however, the clamp functions to hold other articles which need to be adjustably mounted or positionable and supported by a clamp mechanism as well.
Decoy cameras are he Decoy cameras are heavy because they usually include a plurality of batteries. They usually have a threaded mount for use on tripods or stakes. These cameras are motion activated whenever an animal is in range. They usually have a threaded mount for use on tripods or stakes. Such cameras can be set up for overnight monitoring of a known or suspected trail for the purpose of photographing prey or pests such as deer, coyotes, and the cameras can function as security cameras to photograph trespassers.
Surveillance cameras for photographing game animals and other wildlife have become popular as the technology of such cameras has improved. These advanced cameras utilize a relatively inexpensive fully automatic camera which provides automatic focus, flash, aperture and shutter speed and film advance functions. Such cameras are mounted along trails, salt licks, feeders and in other areas known to be frequented by game animals and other wildlife. By using these cameras, hunters are able to use game cameras to identify trophy animals within the study area. The surveillance camera is mounted along a trail or on a fence or gate until the person returns and unloads the film for processing.
These cameras are designed to take a photograph upon sensing an animal within a preselected target area. Sensors for some cameras include photoelectric eyes which sense an interruption in a light beam between emitters and reflectors. Other types of sensors used are infrared sensors which sense the body heat of an animal. The sensitivity of an infrared receiver may be selected so as to trigger the game camera shutter release only upon receiving an infrared intensity above a given threshold, such as a level associated with a large game animal instead of a small animal. Moreover, the game camera is left out in the field during daylight and nighttime conditions and necessitates day/night enable capabilities.
A game camera may include an electro-mechanical device for selective and/or automated switching an optical lens filter for day/night operations or an electro-mechanical device for selective switching between at least one optical lens filter, such as between a day and night optical lens filter, between a first position and a second position in order to selectively insert the optical lens filter into an optical path of the camera.
The camera is typically enclosed in a camera housing, and an electronic control circuit is mounted within the camera housing and operably connected to the camera. The camera housing may be constructed as a main body and a removable cover, each being weatherproof and from an impact resistant plastic. The camera also includes various system resources, such as a memory device and a microprocessor for storing and performing a set of programmable functions. In addition, the camera may include a passive infrared sensor that detects body heat of the animal or group of animals to be photographed. An electro-mechanical device may also enclosed within the camera housing for selectively inserting an optical lens filter, such as day optical filter and a night optical filter, into an optical path of the camera in accordance with light intensity and/or a signal from a user or timer.
Conventional camera mounting systems include U.S. Design Pat. No. D605125 by Bizzell teaching a clamp with arcuate rows of gripping teeth and U.S. Pat. No. 8,857,775 by Clear man et al teaching a clamp with a camera mount.